


Geoff's Coffee and Pastries

by AH_Fae (bananasinthesunshine)



Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - College/University, Bakery and Coffee Shop, Coffee Shops, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-11-04
Updated: 2014-11-07
Packaged: 2018-02-24 03:12:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,643
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2566196
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bananasinthesunshine/pseuds/AH_Fae
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Welcome to Geoff’s Coffee and Pastries, a small, “family owned” coffee shop, run by Geoff and staffed by some local college students. How will the dynamics of this little store change when Geoff’s foreign nephew moves in for the summer?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

"Thank God, it took you long enough." Ray’s smile spread across his face as he walked through the door.  
"All this crazy busy-ness driving you mental, Michael?"  
Michael shook his head, curly hair flopping from his seat on the counter.   
"No, I’m just really hungry and want to go on break. The caffeine crash is coming! Put your apron on and get your butt back here!"  
Ray laughed, taking his time putting his things in the small back room and pulling his apron over his head. “Geoff’s Coffee and Pastries” it read across the red fabric in black letters.  
"Not very fancy-schmancy, but it gets the point across," Geoff, the owner, had said when Ray questioned how he decided on the name for his little cafe.  
"Thank god," Michael muttered as Ray came out front, Michael jumping off of the counter he was sat on.  
"Rough night?" Ray asked, as Michael started to make himself a drink.  
"Not really, I was just up late playing video games."  
"Dude, you need to get laid." Michael choked back a laugh.  
"Yeah, right. I haven’t dated anyone since high school, and that lasted a whole three months. Who would want to date me anyway? Besides smelling like old coffee all the time, I also come with a strong caffeine addiction, an inability to do laundry, and my love of anyone would never surpass my true love of video games."  
"You’re also really angry all the time. Don’t forget that," Ray chimed in helpfully.  
"Shut up, Ray."  
"I’m going to fix this for you. Don’t worry, by the end of the week, I’ll find you a date."  
"Yeah? Where are you gonna find a gay guy in Texas, hmm?"  
Ray just smirked and shooed Michael into the back room with his quad caramel latte. He had an idea, and a lot of work to do in the next ten minutes. 

There were many perks to working in a tiny coffee shop in a college town. The small store was never as busy as the Starbucks down the street, which was nice, and also the tips were better. Since it was summer, and most of the college students had left a week ago, the baristas had a lot of free time, which Ray never minded. It had forced all of his coworkers to become very good friends with each other, and also lead to a lot of weird drink experiments. Raspberry and mint tea do not go well together. Even iced.  
When Michael came back out front, Ray was sat in front of the door, paint pen in hand. As the resident artist, and a photography major at the local college during the school year, Ray was always in charge of updating the chalkboard sign that advertised the days specials. Occasionally Michael and Ray would come up with coffee-related puns to put on the board as well, which made customers smile and laugh.  
"I’m guessing you saw the note Geoff left about those new scones he wanted on the board?"  
Ray nodded, tongue between his teeth in concentration.  
"You also saw that he would be in around noon?"  
Ray just nodded again, and Michael sighed. So much for conversation.  
The morning had been very boring. From when the store opened at seven until now, Michael had only had a handful of customers, mostly just regulars who passed through every morning on their way to work. With all the college kids gone for the summer, the store was generally very quiet, which suited Michael just fine. While rushes of customers could be fun, and certainly made the time go faster, there were too many people, and the store for really loud. Also, sometimes the tip jar would get stolen. And that sucked.  
No, Michael preferred when the store was quiet. When it was just him and Ray and Geoff or whoever was working that day. It was a good environment, and Michael very rarely minded going to work.  
"Good morning, boys!"  
"Good morning, Geoff!" Ray and Michael said at the same time, Michael quickly jumping off of the counter he was sitting on.  
"Working hard or hardly working over there, mister Jones?"  
"Very hard, sir. See this line of drinks?"  
"No?"  
"That’s cuz I already made them."  
Geoff laughed, moving to the back room. Ray giggled a little from the other side of the store, and Michael jumped back on to the counter.  
"How’s the sign coming, Ray?"  
"Almost done! I’m pretty proud of this one, it’s a work of art."  
"Yeah, great. But will it get anyone in here?"  
Ray just smirked, turning back to his board.

The noon rush picked up almost immediately after Ray finished his sign. Ray quickly claimed bar, leaving Michael on the register, trying to translate orders from Starbucks lingo (what the hell was a cotton candy frappuccino? It sounds disgusting) and count change as quickly as possible. Geoff had joined the boys on the bar at some point while Michael wasn’t paying attention and was running pastries and drinks to the seated customers.   
A couple people laughed a little while they were ordering, whispering to each other, but Michael brushed it off. He probably had mocha powder on his face or something. It wouldn’t be the first time.  
“Hi, what can I get started for you?” Michael spouted off, repeating the same sentences a dozen times.   
“A medium vanilla cappuccino, please.” The boy across the counter spoke with a British accent. You didn’t hear that much in Texas.   
“Um, sure. And your name?” Michael bit off the top of his Sharpie, holding it in his teeth as he wrote the drink on the cup.  
“Gavin.”   
 _What kinda name is Gavin_? Michael wondered, scrawling it on the cup and re-caping his pen.  
“Alright, that’ll be $4.27.”   
The boy slid a piece of paper across the counter on top of a five dollar bill.   
“Keep the change, love,” and, winking, he walked down to the other end of the counter, leaving Michael speechless.   
On the piece of paper, was a phone number.

Michael felt a little spaced out for the rest of the rush, lasting another twenty minutes. By the time he and Ray got the line down and the last drinks made, Michael was ready for a nap. Or to go sit at the corner table with the British boy, who had pulled out a book Michael couldn’t see and was reading while sipping his cappuccino. There was a little bit of foam lingering on his upper lip.   
Michael was restocking the cookies in the pastry display case with Ray while telling him about the boy with the British accent. Ray started cracking up when Michael heard Geoff also start to laugh from across the store, near the entrance.  
"Ray, did you make this? It’s fantastic!" Geoff called.  
"Yeah, I did. And hey, I just found out it worked!"  
Michael looked around in confusion.  
“Wait, what? What did you write?”   
“You didn’t tell Michael? That’s great Ray, really great.”  
Geoff turned the sign Ray had spent the better part of the the morning working on so Michael could read it.  
In Ray’s handwriting, between a doodle of Michael as a stick figure and a very accurate drawing of a white chocolate orange scone, read

"Today Your Barista Is -  
1 Hella Gay  
2 Desperately Single  
For your drink today I recommend -  
You give me your number”

 "Oh my fucking God Ray, I am going to strangle you!"  
Both Ray and Geoff were laughing their asses off as Michael blushed bright pink. Geoff walked back behind the counter, wiping away tears of laughter.   
“Who did it? Who gave you their number, Michael?”  
“Some British kid, I’d never seen him here before,” Ray answered before Michael could even open his mouth. “The one over in the corner there.”   
Geoff’s laughter cut off as soon as he looked over.  
“Well, this is gonna be awkward, guys, but he’s not a random guy. Hey, Gav,” he called across the store, “come meet my employees.”   
The British boy walked over and Michael and Ray looking at Geoff in confusion.   
“Sorry, guys, I forgot to tell you earlier,” Geoff choked out between his re-started laughter. “Yeah, right, so, Michael, Ray, this is my nephew, Gavin. He’s staying with Griffon and I for the summer. He’ll be working here starting tomorrow.”  
“Geoff, you forgot about me?” Gavin wined, coming up to the counter where the three were stood. “That’s not very nice.” Geoff just patted his shoulder.  
“Oh shush. And stop hitting on my employees, yeah?”   
Gavin and Ray both laughed a bit as Michael flushed again.  
"Hey Gavin, nice to meet you. I’m Ray," Ray held out his hand, stifling his laughter, as he walked over to the front counter. Gavin shook it, and then extended his hand to Michael.  
"Then I guess you’re Michael. Good to  _actually_  meet you both.”  
Michael shook his hand, feeling a little numb, cheeks still pink. Gavin was pretty attractive. His nose was too big for his face, and his hair stuck out in every direction, but he was still pretty cute.  
No, not cute. He’s the managers nephew, there’s probably some sort of law against that or something. Or just a lot of awkwardness.  
It was going to be an interesting summer.


	2. Chapter 2

Michael wasn't sure what possessed Geoff to hire his nephew, but whatever it was had something out for the little cafe and, more significantly, Ryan.

"No, you dimwit, it's 3, 4, 5. Three in a small, four in a medium, five in a large. And that will NEVER change."

"But why isn't it 1, 2, 3? That makes more sense, right?"

"I don't care what makes sense!" Ryan thundered. Gavin seemed to wither in front of the shift supervisor. "Just learn it the way it is!" Gavin nodded silently, eyes wide, and Ryan spun to face Michael. "I'm taking my break. You're in charge. Don't let this one touch anything, okay?"

"Yes, okay, sure. Got it."

Ryan gave him an exasperated look, shook his head, and stalked off to the back room. Gavin turned to look helplessly at Michael, as though perhaps he held the key to understanding how to make drinks.

"Dude, Ryan's got it out for you. Haven't you learned anything from Geoff? I think we all assumed you would at least know something."

"But why should I know anything?" Gavin whined. "It's not like I live here, I've only been here a few times. And those times I didn't know I would end up working here, anyway! I don't think about how my coffees are made, they just come down the line that way."

"Yeah, alright, but you'd better learn quick. Ryan's a great shift, but he's scary as a trainer." Gavin nodded.

"So I've noticed," he commented dryly. "I hope I can pick it up soon."

When Ryan got back from his break, he sent Michael on his. Michael was almost afraid to leave them alone together, but scurried out quickly.

After fiddling with his phone for ten minutes, Michael went back out front to see Ryan with a scowl on his face, furiously making drinks, and Gavin chatting with a line of customers at the register. Ryan waved Michael over to the bar.   
“You take over here, I’m sending dumbo into the back to do dishes, I’ll be on register.” Michael nodded, finishing off the drink Ryan abandoned at the steam wand as the shift sent Gavin to the back, sliding in to his place at the register. Michael gave Gavin a small half smile as the other boy walked towards the giant pile of dishes, and Gavin smiled back as he opened the door. Michael turned quickly back to the milk he was steaming, stopping the heat just before it burned.

  
Ryan was in the back doing some sort of paper-work something as Michael neared the end of his shift. He and Gavin were sat on the counter, getting to know each other in the quiet store.  
“I moved to Texas about two years ago, for school, you know. But I grew up out east, in New Jersey. Why did you come out here, anyway?”

“Geoff’s always been my favorite uncle, my favorite family member, really, and when he offered, I decided why not. I wasn’t doing much at home, and I’ve enjoyed America the couple of times I’ve visited, so it worked out well for me. I’ve only been here about a week now.” Michael nodded, glancing at the clock.   
“Hey, since we have a little bit of time, do you want me to help you learn about the drinks? There’s nothing else to do, really, and Ryan’s hiding in the back doing whatever it is he does back there, so…”  
“What does he even do back there?”  
“Count money or some shit, I don’t know. Come on, what drink do you want to make?”  
“I don’t know, something tasty.”  
“Everything’s tasty. Besides straight espresso.”  
“Really? Expresso isn’t good?”  
“ESpresso. There’s no X.”  
“No, it’s expresso, it’s always been eXpresso.”  
“Gavin, shut up, it’s an S. Honestly, it’s on the bag.” Michael pulled out the giant silver bag of espresso beans from the cupboard behind them, and pointed to the label. “ESPRESSO. With an S. Got it?” Gavin pouted, and Michael laughed at him.   
“Okay, so,” Michael continued, getting back on topic, “choose a drink. Anything.”  
“Um, how about…” He turned around to survey the menu board, hand on his chin. “Let’s try a Caffe Misto. That sounds cool.”  
“Okay, you really need to learn what all of these things are. Like, yesterday. Let’s start with that, actually. Learn what all of these things are.”  
“I know SOME things, Michael,” Gavin whined. It was the first time Gavin had said his name, Michael thought, and it sounded more like “micoo” than Michael. Michael almost thought it was adorable. Almost.

“Okay, fine, describe the drinks on the board. Try it.” Gavin smiled eagerly, with a hint of concern in his eyes.   
“Okay, um, well coffee and tea are obvious. Uh, the Americano is coffee and water right? And lattes are coffee and steamed milk. No wait, those are expresso, no, espresso, not coffee. The Americano and latte. But it’s like strong coffee, yeah? So that’s those. And a mocha has chocolate, and the others have the flavors listed. Um, so that leaves…”  
“Caffe Misto, Cappuccino, and then the espresso variations. Good catch on the espresso instead of coffee with the Americano and latte, though.” Gavin beamed and Michael could see a slight flush in his cheeks. “Okay, so, cappuccino, you should know that. You drink those.”   
“Um, well, see I thought it was espresso and steamed milk, right? But that’s also what a latte is, right?"

"You're right, mostly. But what's the difference, then?"

Gavin scrunched his nose and poured his lips, eyes begging the menu board to give him it's secrets.

"You don't know, do you?" When Gavin shook his head no, Michael laughed. "But you drink Cappuccinos! You are so dumb!"

"Hey!"

"I won't take it back. But I will tell you. Cappuccinos have more foam, by quite a lot. Lattes only have a little bit of foam on top, Cappuccinos are mostly foam."

"Michael, is Gavin being a problem?" Ryan poked his head out from the back room, eyebrows pointed down.

Michael said no while Gavin ducked his head. The boys turned to each other once Ryan disappeared.

"Why does he hate you so much? Did you kill his family or something?"

"I don't know, I never spoke to him before today!" Gavin seemed a little flustered, so Michael turned back to the espresso machine.

"Okay, well, let's teach you how to make a latte, so he can stop hating you. Are you ready to get milk splattered all over you?"


End file.
